“I was thinking maybe those shelves over there?” she said, pointing to a section on the far end of the room.

“Sounds good,” Kveldulf said.

As Hypatia pulled out a thick tome bound in red leather and gilded in faded silver, and placed it on a nearby table. She opened the book up and slowly leaved through the pages, examining the contents with great care. Kveldulf could hear her softly whispering out loud, pausing to give a ‘hmm’ and ‘huh’ ever so often.

“Anything good?” he asked her.

“This seems to be a collection of epic poems,” she said. “Going back to before even the fall of the Rubicon Empire.”

“Really?” Kveldulf said, walking over to the table.

“Here, I’ll read a bit of it:

Come closer, Spear-siblings,

Who pine for days long lost and gone.

Where wonderous glory and deeds,

Of mighty princes, echo the halls.

Terror of warriors, bears among men.

Brandishing claw and blade,

Hewing through ranks unchecked…”

Hypatia turned the page, beginning to read the page before speaking, yet Kveldulf spoke the next line aloud. “For they were fine kings, finer men, who brought hallow honor to kin.”

Hypatia’s eyes grew wide, blinking rapidly. “You know the poem?” she asked him.

“It’s The Beowharta Edda,” Kveldulf said, “My father loved that poem.”

“I remember translating The Bearheart Saga back at the university,” she said the Kveldulf, “tales of warriors rushing into battle like maddened bears, the use of imagery to describe the fights was … amazing, just amazing.”

“Whoever compose that poem had a good day during those parts.”

“I’m surprised to see a copy of this in here.”

“Why?”

“Baeron was never seen to be a man who enjoyed the written word, even if this was something he inherited. Given all the libraries and universities he had a hand in destroying during his lifetime.”

“People are complicated creatures, usually very contradictory ones at that.”

“True, very true. Still, it is rather intriguing, to say the least.”

“What do you make of it then?”

“Hard to say, but it could be he wanted to posses some knowledge of his past before such information was snuffed out forever.”

“Hmm,” Kveldulf hummed, rubbing his chin.

“What?”

“Just wondering why?”

Hypatia shrugged. “You’re guess is as good as mine,” she said before her eyes widened and she turned back to him. “Oh! Oh no!”

“What?”

“I did not mean it in that way, I am so sorry.”

“What are you … oh, oh! No, no no, you’re fine, really.”

“All right,” she said, calming down, “I was afraid I had put my foot into my mouth again. Sort of a habit of mine.”

“Is this a commonality at the university?”

“Sometimes, usually they prefer newer scholar to ‘observe those before them with great concentration,’ or something to that effect.”

“What does that mean?”

“Be quiet and let the professors talk.”

“Not much of a way to foster new minds, is it?”

“In some fairness, you do have a few students who think they already know the ways of the world before they set foot onto the university’s grounds.”

“And do they?”

“Iura no! Most don’t recognize when they’re showing their lack of awareness to anything, or even when they’re being insulted to their faces.”

“And these people look at me like an idiot,” Kveldulf said, chuckling.

“Sadly, many of them have parents who coddle them in every respect. I’d imagine they’d hold their hands for their wedding nights.”

Kveldulf snorted loudly as he covered his mouth.

“What?”

“I just imagined some man’s mother, sitting next to his bed as he’s about to consummate his marriage with someone and go,” as he continued, Kveldulf spoke in a soft and petite voice, “‘Now sweetie, make sure to not do that face you make when trying to use the privy, it’s not very becoming. And for the love of Barna don’t yell ‘victory’ when you’re finishing, that’s just poor form.’” As he finished both he and Hypatia began laughing out loud.

Hypatia added, using a shaky and groggy voice, “Sweetie, are you all right? You have that look on your face when you’d need to be changed as a baby.”

Both continued laughing, Kveldulf completely bowled over and hitting the table with a clenched fist. “Oh Thekkin, I needed that laugh badly.”

Hypatia wiped a tear from her eye. “That makes two of us,” she said, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself.

“I guess this wasn’t something you expected back at the university?”

“No, no this was not,” she said. “Though they use a laugh or two to liven themselves up.”

“Not the most animated people in the room?”

“Depends on who you talk to. A lot of them have amazing minds to pick information from. But some, Ellia’s mercy, they can be just boring beyond words.”

“How so?”

“A lot of them love to hear the sound of their own voices, usually complimenting themselves for superfluous achievements no one cares about.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Is that a problem?”

“When they’re deciding which expeditions get the university’s backing, it can be.”

“And they didn’t back this one, I take it.”

“Not without a plethora of conditions,” she scoffed, shaking her head. “Poor Silvius almost stopped trying to get this thing going altogether with all the difficulties they put him through.”

“He was telling about that back at the inn a while back. I’m still surprised they weren’t more supportive to this whole thing.”

“They are convinced everything about this time has been learned, and nothing more can be derived from further investigation. Goes against the whole concept of what we do, but they have a narrative they’re comfortable with, and they have no desire to hear about a new one.”

“Is that why you joined Silvius for this thing?”

“My first reason is the man’s organizational skills are grossly lacking, if you saw his desk, you would see what I mean. But … I stayed because he needed someone who believed in what he did. Someone who was there to pick him up when he fell.”

“He’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

“To be fair, he was there for me when I was in a bad place. Even put his neck out for me at one point. And …” Hypatia rubbed the back of her neck as she turned her gaze away, “why he’s been facing a lot of resistance for this research.”

“What happened?”

“It’s a long story, and I think we should be getting back to the research.”

“Right,” Kveldulf said, nodding slowly, “I’ll let you get to it.”

While Hypatia continued going through tomes, Kveldulf walked over to a relief placed high on the wall nearby. It depicted an unnamed warrior engage in brutal combat, arrows sticking out of his body as he fought a dozen warriors surrounding him. The warrior carried had sharpened teeth and clawed fingers on his hands as he engaged in what Kveldulf assumed was his final stand.

He wondered what story this was depicting, was it a fable from an age long forgotten? Was it a moment of his past that even his parent did not know? Was this a warrior who earned this form of immortality in this place?

Pondering these thoughts made him wonder how he should be feeling as he stood in this place. This former home to his kin, this bastion of what his family stood for. He wanted to feel pride, but so much shame came with it he could not ignore. He ran his hand over his face as he tried finding some place where these two contrasts could coexist, but nothing came.

“You doing all right?” he heard Jeanne ask, taking him by surprise.

“Sorry,” she said, “didn’t mean to startle you this time.”

“It’s always when you’re not trying that you get the jump on me.”

“I know, I hate that ever so much. But you didn’t answer my question.”

He tilted his head back and forth, “I’ll be better when we’re back in fresh air again.” He wrapped his arm around his chest tightly, the hand now gripping the arm.

“I can’t imagine what it must be like being in this place like this for long,” she said, looking around at the ancient stonework.

“Weird would be a good start,” he said, looking back into the war-room. “And being here is just … I don’t know what to think.”

“I know renovations probably don’t help.”

“No …,” Kveldulf said slowly, “No they did not.”

A loud crack broke the calm. Kveldulf and Jeanne turned to the noise and saw Leonidas pushing against a hidden door open.

“Look at that!” Silvius said, a bright smile on his face.

Cid turned to the rest of them, “Silvius, you and Hypatia keep working in the war-room. Maeryn, Ben, keep watch. Kel, Jeanne, doctor, come,” he said, waving the three to follow.

The spiral staircase leading upwards was dark, save for the red stone glowing as it floated above Leonidas’s palm. Pressing themselves against the walls of the stairway, they slowly moved up the steps, carefully looking for the next step. Kveldulf let out a relieved sigh when they reached the top, glad to have avoided tripping over his feet.

Out of the stairway, Kveldulf and the others walked out into a large circular level. The flooring was made of ember colored stone, with etchings of wolves, deer, eagles and other animals in motion. Four large columns held up the ceiling where, in the middle, two hanging braziers lit themselves high above them. The light above revealed intricate etchings of the history of Hyvtur Hestur along the walls. On the opposite end of the room was another flight of stairs leading upwards. As the light illuminated the room on their own, the four instinctively unsheathed their weapons.

“Damn magic,” said Cid through clenched teeth. “Sorry, Jeanne, doctor.”

Leonidas shook his head. “I’m with you on that one. That’s rarely a good sign in these places.”

“This could stop at any given moment,” said Jeanne.

Before them were two giant metal doors. Both slabs were engraved with scenes of people running from demons of the depths of the world, clawing away at their flesh, sinking their teeth into severed limbs of the dead, piles of bodies collected at the bottom of them.

“Well, that’s just disturbing,” said Jeanne.

“I was going to go with creepy,” said Leonidas.

“That works, too,” Jeanne said.

“Jeanne, see if they have any protective measures,” said Cid, sheathing his blade.

Jeanne knelt next to the door as a soft violet orb formed around her hand and she moved it around the bottom and middle slit of the door. “Looks clear,” she said to Cid.

Cid and Kveldulf gripped the large door rings and pulled them back. The doors creaked loudly as they moved, causing Kveldulf’s hair to stand on end. With a thin crack to peer into, Kveldulf peeked inside Kveldulf saw the light outside glittering back at him. Kveldulf reached in and pulled out a small glass with clear liquid inside. “Hey can I get some light over here?” he asked the others.

Jeanne walked up and held a small fireball near the bottle. The light coming inside unveiled a pile of treasure, reaching beyond twice their height. “I think we found something,” Kveldulf said, “Cid, help me with the door.” As the two moved the doors open, their mouths dropped when they saw more piles of gold coins, statues of silver and marble, pottery painted in rich colors and bullions awaiting them.

“Well,” said Cid, “Good thing I hadn’t established loot distribution.”

“And what, pray tell, is my cut?” Kveldulf asked.

Cid bent down and handed Kveldulf a small dust bunny. “For you, my friend.”

Kveldulf looked at the fluff of dirt for the moment before gingerly placing the dust bunny on Cid’s head. “For you, my friend.”

“You’re insufferable sometimes, you know that?”

“I’ll credit Jeanne with that,” said Kveldulf.

“Do not blame me for that one!” Jeanne followed.

“Still, I think this will be a nice addition with the bounty,” said Kveldulf.

“Definitely will make it easier to afford that damn inn,” said Cid.

“Everyone!” called Leonidas in a muffled voice, “I think you want to see this.”

Cid and Kveldulf came over to Leonidas who was covering his nose with his hand. “Oh peace,” said Cid, “That stench is horrible.”

“Agreed,” said Leonidas as he opened the door further. Holding the glowing stone tightly as he moved it inside the room, he spotted a ghastly mound of rotting corpses and severed limbs revealed itself. Cows, dogs, cats, deer, and humans all were laid together in this horrifying display. Reaching to such a height the glow from his light barely touched the top of the pile of bodies. Maggots innumerable crawled and feasted on the decaying flesh. Their movements giving the remains an appearance of them still carried some life.

“Right … so that’s a thing,” said Leonidas, slowly stepping to close the door.

“This explains a lot about the disappearances,” said Cid, “none if it is comforting.”

Kveldulf turned to Cid. “I know it’s not a wonderful. But I’m thinking, we just burn the pile and …” He stopped the pile began stirring and growling. “… Did that pile just growl?”

“Ah shit,” said Leonidas, putting the stone back into the satchel and began moving his hands quickly in an esoteric pattern.

Limbs moving to life and crawling towards the top. A head emerged, multiple eyes stuck to the skin and moving randomly around the room. Multiple arms attached themselves along the torso, some sinking into open wounds and decayed orifices of cadavers. The creature breathed heavy, gurgling with slime flowing from its mouth.

It spotted the four and gave a disturbing smiling. “Oh, that’s just wrong,” said Leonidas.

“Jeanne!” shouted Cid.

“On it!” she said as with both hands she unleashed a pillar of fire towards the creature and the whole pile. As the creature writhed in pain, Leonidas and Kveldulf shut the doors, Leonidas drawing a quick series of runes on the door as it closed. The sound of a roaring conflagration exploded on the other side.

“All right,” said Kveldulf pointing to Leonidas, “The fuck was that about?” as the others raced into the room, their drawn and readied.

“What’s going on up here,” Benkin asked.

“We dealt with a vodnoy,” said Leonidas, “ it’s a flesh fiend.”

“And how the fuck do you know that?” Kveldulf demanded. “That’s not precisely something that screams medical.”

Cid and Jeanne looked at Leonidas. “Probably a good idea to elucidate everyone to your qualifications, doctor,” Cid said to him.

“Just great,” Leonidas said with a slight snarl. “Well, if you must know … I am a trained … necromancer.”